Slide into summer with easy slow cooker barbecue beef sliders | Chula King

There's nothing quite like the tangy flavor of barbecue, but firing up the grill isn't always an option. That's where these Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sliders come in – they deliver all the deliciousness of traditional barbecue without the fuss.

Succulent chuck roast is rubbed with a simple blend of spices, then slow-cooked to tender perfection in a zesty barbecue sauce. Piled high on soft rolls, these sliders are certain to become a family favorite.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity and convenience. With just a few minutes of prep work in the morning, you can let the slow cooker do its magic throughout the day. By dinnertime, your home will be filled with the mouthwatering aroma of barbecue, and a satisfying meal awaits. These sliders are versatile enough for a casual weeknight dinner yet impressive enough to serve at your next potluck or summer gathering.

For added convenience, the shredded barbecue beef can be made ahead of time and piled high on the slider buns with some added barbecue sauce right before serving.

Whether you're feeding a hungry family or entertaining guests, these bite-sized sandwiches are sure to be a hit. Serve them alongside your favorite barbecue sides, such as coleslaw, baked beans, potato chips or potato salad, for a complete and satisfying meal that will have everyone reaching for seconds.

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Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sliders

Makes 12 sliders

Ingredients

Dry Rub:

3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed

2 Tablespoons paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoons dried basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sliders

Dry rub, from above

3 to 4 pound Chuck Roast

3 cups store-bought barbecue sauce, divided

12 Slider buns

Directions

Dry Rub

Add brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, dried thyme, Kosher salt, and pepper to a jar with a lid. Secure the lid and shake the jar until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Sliders

Dry the chuck roast with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides of the roast with the dry rub; press the dry rub into the meat.

Add 2 cups of barbecue sauce to the slow cooker. Place the roast on the barbecue sauce. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, turning once after four hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender.

Transfer the cooked meat pieces to a quarter sheet pan or plate, and shred with two forks, separating the remaining fat from the meat while shredding. Discard the fat and discard the cooking liquid from the slow cooker.

Transfer the shredded beef to a saucepan. Add ¾ to one cup of barbecue sauce. Toss to combine. Heat over medium heat until warm.

Pile the shredded barbecue beef on slider buns and, if desired, top it with additional barbecue sauce. Serve with potato chips and coleslaw or your favorite side dishes.

Yield: 12 Barbecue Beef Sliders

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Recipe tips and tricks

May substitute your favorite dry rub. I used an 8-ounce mason jar with a lid for the dry rub. However, if you don’t have a jar with a lid, add the dry rub ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.

I used Outback’s Original Rib Rack BBQ Sauce because it doesn’t contain liquid smoke. However, feel free to use your favorite barbecue sauce, whether it’s store-bought or homemade.

I generally use either Pepperidge Soft White slider buns or Walmart’s Brioche slider buns. You could also use Hawaiian slider buns, but they’re a little too sweet for my taste.

Chuck roast tends to have a lot of fat on it. Some of this fat is cooked away during the slow cooking, but some remains with the meat. When I’m shredding the cooked meat, I take care to separate the remaining fat from the meat. There’s nothing that I dislike more than getting a mouthful of the fat!

Many recipes suggest transferring the cooking liquid to a saucepan after removing the meat, and boiling it to a desired consistency. My preference is to discard the cooking liquid and use fresh barbecue sauce. One reason is that the cooking liquid tends to have a lot of grease in it. Before using the liquid, the grease should be separated out, which tends to be messy. The other reason is that the dry rub, while flavoring the meat, can be overpowering in the liquid.

The shredded barbecue beef can be made in advance, covered and refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.

Chula King is the blogger behind PudgeFactor.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Slide into summer with tender bite-size barbecue sandwiches